This sermon interweaves Langston Hughes’s poem “Freedom’s Plow” with a historical narrative centered on the founding of Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church by formerly enslaved people in Gleedsville. The poem and the recounted history illustrate the enduring dream of freedom and equality in America, highlighting the arduous journey from slavery to building a community rooted in faith and self-determination. Despite facing immense challenges and the horrors of slavery, these individuals chose hope and worked diligently to establish their own lives, families, and a place of worship. The speaker emphasizes the resilience, strength, and forward-looking spirit of the formerly enslaved, contrasting historical victimization with their powerful pursuit of the American dream.